Join us in developing 1000 water leaders globally!
Join us in developing 1000 water leaders globally!
The ambition of Wouter Lincklaen Arriens has been driving us forward at the IWC since 2013 when we participated in the 5th Delft Symposium on Water Capacity Development together and afterwards.
The Symposium was full of talk of the need to grow water sector leadership capacity, rapidly and to scale if we are to collectively be able to transform the way that we think about and manage water in order to achieve sustainable development goals and to adapt to climate change. But here we are more than a decade later, lagging significantly behind in our achievement of the targets of @UN #SDG6 and without having invested globally in at scale development of water leadership capacity or water leaders individually.
We have a program of Accelerators designed carefully to boost the implementation of #SDG6. This is great but who will drive the changes, the reforms needed to do so? We need effective team leaders to include, motivate and enable others; champions to push new practices and technologies; boundary spanners to connect across organisations and foster collaboration, and; perhaps above all, professionals and practitioners who see the value of investing in their own leadership development for the benefit of others, and who are committed to collaboratively shaping our water future.
How will these people and their skills and ability to collaborate be cultivated?
We need to remember back to Delft in 2013 and before that. We need to recognise that change in the water sector requires leadership just as much if not more than management, and we need to invest time, effort and of course funding.
The International WaterCentre developed the world’s first water sector specific emerging leader development program back in 2010-2011 – the Water Leadership Program (WLP). Led by @Andre Taylor the WLP has graduated more than 350 Australian and NZ water leaders who are now working across utilities, governments, consulting firms, NGOs and Universities to transform how we manage water.
But we need more to have an impact globally and we need to partner to get there. 1000 water leaders every year is our goal! Do you want to join us?
We are very pleased and proud to launch the Pathway Program this year as our contribution to growing leadership capacity and accelerating change across the water sector, globally.
The purpose of the three-level Pathway Program is to provide an easily accessible, foundational leadership development program for water professionals and practitioners to strengthen their ability to exert influence and drive positive change in their projects and workplaces. The three levels of Pathway are sequential although a participant might choose only to complete Level 1, or Level 1 and 2.
Level 1 of the Program which will start in September 2024 is 10 weeks long, interactive, and online. It has been custom designed based on an assessment of key challenges faced by emerging water leaders globally. Level 1 draws on the IWC’s award winning Water Leadership Program and will be delivered using newly commissioned resources including interviews with experienced water leaders from around the world, briefing notes, short videos to explain key concepts and theories, quizzes to test knowledge and interactive discussion and reflection activities. All of the resources within Pathway Level 1 will be based on research and evidence translated for practical insight and use.
There will be a core focus on developing self-leadership, and on water sector focussed leadership fundamentals including importantly, the DAC model. Plus a whole set of water sector relevant topics including inclusive leadership, situational leadership, team leadership in relation to diverse types of teams, networks and partnerships, communication and listening, strategy
Applications for a place on Pathway Program Level 1 are open now and close on the 19th of August 2024. Level 1 starts delivery on Monday 2nd September 2024. The cost is AUD 295 per participant (+GST if you are resident in Australia).
Partner with us by sponsoring 5, 10 or more of your employees, or staff from organisations you work closely with to undertake the challenge represented by Pathway Program Level 1. Or, apply yourself as an aspiring emerging water leader.